


Shared Sensations

by orphan_account



Series: Scales, Tails, and Bioluminescence [4]
Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alien Biology, Fluff, Hand Feeding, Kaiju Newton Geiszler, Kaiju!Newt, M/M, Tongues, fluff-ish
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-10
Updated: 2013-12-10
Packaged: 2018-01-04 05:53:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1077322
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After many failures and successes on what to feed a scientist who may have been changed in to a kaiju hybrid, Hermann goes for something a little harder to find.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Shared Sensations

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for spelling and grammar errors. I did a cursory look through, but probably not enough to catch everything.
> 
> Was taken from a writing prompt from my Tumblr. I then was true to form and ran with it for far too long.

There were numerous things Newt hated as he went from being human to being something kaiju-but-not-quite-kaiju. The prolonged painful shifting of bones and muscle and growth of new tissue were obvious. Then there was sleep. No position was comfortable as bony plates grew across his back. As the three tails snaked their way from the base of his spine. He growled when unhappy. He purred when content. Then there was eating.

Newt hadn't realized until much later, but evidence that something was happening inside of him started three weeks before any physical changes became apparent. Food had refused to sit well with him. No matter what he grabbed from the mess (or, more regrettably, a suspicious vendor out in the city), he found himself vomiting it up almost immediately afterward, or left curled on top of his bed in excruciating pain. He became so desperate that he even ate meat again. The rare steak he had acquired was something he would have been surprised to see himself eat, if he hadn't been so distracted by how delicious it was, or how it actually digested as food should. So, when his skin turned blue-grey and his teeth grew longer, it was just One More Bad Thing To Happen To Doctor Newton Geiszler.

When Newt disappeared, after the worst and most obvious changes in his physical appearance began, it took one day for Hermann to notice Newt's absence around the lab and the Shatterdome in general. It took three for Hermann to throw decorum to the side and search for his lab partner. He didn't look far, barging his way in to Newt's bunk, knowing the code to unlock the door as a half-remembered thought leftover from their Drift. After the requisite disbelief/fear/anger/disappointment all rolled in to one, as he found Newt, a monstrous mess with limbs stuck at awkward angles, tails contorting around his malformed feet, Hermann sprinted (or rather, hobbled along at a flustered wreck of a pace) to the mess hall, realizing that Newt hadn't eaten in three days, and the only reason he wasn't dehydrated must have been because of the kaiju biology.

Against all of Hermann's insistence, Newt remained in his room and the lab area. The others did find out, eventually, but on Newt's own terms. It took months for Newt to become comfortable in his own skin again, and most of that time was spent STARVING.

Fresh meat was a luxury, even after the world was saved. Hermann fell over himself to find Newt what he needed, their mental connection even closer now as Newt could only squawk out mangled words like a parrot or clumsily use the limited sign language Hermann taught him. Processed foods were unmanageable. Entirely. Chocolate and coffee were absences Newt wept over. Vegetables were disgusting, making Newt gag and vomit acidic bile on the floor. Fish were perfect (if bland in flavor). Beef was always hit or miss. Pork and veal were adequate. They managed to get venison one day and Newt thought he would just about die from bliss. Another day Hermann quietly suggested dog, causing Newt to growl deep from within his throat, outright rejecting the idea and hating himself for salivating over it.

One quiet day in the lab, after the changes to Newt's body had completed, he awkwardly sat on a stool with his tails spread out across the floor behind him and his clawed hands gently pecking at a keyboard. He wouldn't admit it, but he was waiting for Hermann to return before he let his mind wander away from what was on the screen in front of him.

Hermann either brought his own food or returned from the mess quickly at meal times. Newt found he got anxious when away from Hermann for too long, especially so if the lab were empty. The lab was HIS. Anyone aside from Hermann were not welcome, and against all logic, he wasn't sure if he could stop himself from ripping someones throat out for coming in to his territory. He may not care for Raleigh, but lunging in a snapping snarling heap at the man when he did nothing more than to come verify information with Hermann was not how a person should act.

Newt heard Hermann's footsteps amble down the hall long before Hermann actually appeared. Newt had trained himself to the man's noises. Though he tried to avoid thinking of it, as the more he considered his reactions toward Hermann, the more he felt like a desperate mutt.

The smell from the tray Hermann carried hit Newt right as the man rounded the corner in to the lab. Newt sighed heavily. _Chicken?_ He was in no mood to attempt signing again. Hermann would just need to handle having him butt in to his head.

Hermann frowned at the tray as he set it down at his desk. "All you get I'm afraid. The fish was... unpleasant."

Newt sent questioning thoughts at that.

"The Kaiju Blue seems to be hitting the oceanic wildlife harder than before. Even with your altered biology I would not feed you the fish that was offered. Having SOME kaiju biology doesn't make you immune to everything Newton. And I'm certainly not bringing you discarded slop." Hermann bit off the last sentence with a good dose of venom. He never hesitated to call out others predetermined opinions of the "monster in the labs" that were intoned in hushed voices by those that didn't know Newt as he was before.

 _Well, thanks for that then._ The feelings of affection and embarrassment mixed with a small bit of shame floated through with the words.

Hermann looked over at Newt and gestured at the tray. "If you don't mind grabbing it yourself. I'm actually surprised I made it all the way here with everything intact."

Newt bowed his head and gave a small chirp of acknowledgement before slipping off his stool to stand unsteadily on two feet. He hobbled over, to Hermann's side of the lab, doing his best to hide the discomfort he was feeling. Once his tails had reached their full length, walking upright had become difficult, if almost impossible. He refused to walk around like an animal. At least, he would refuse for as long as he could.

As Hermann used a knife and a fork to cut in to his own chicken and manage the vegetables on his plate, Newt looked at the other serving. And looked. And looked. "Just eat the damned thing Newton."

All six of Newt's eyes raised up to look at a face that was 200 percent done with his shame. "Eat." And Hermann pointed matter-of-factly at the chicken pieces.

A low rumble of distress escaped Newt before he bent his head down, bottom jaw split open, his tongue lolled out and surrounded the food, dragging it up and into his mouth and down his throat. Newt's collection of freckles that remained, lit up. He hated anyone seeing him eat. Swallowing things whole was the only thing he could do now.

Newt sighed and laid his head on the desk, sitting on the floor. Meals were dull and boring affairs no matter what was served. Sure, he got some sort of sustenance, but... it never really helped with the dreams. He'd woken up far too many times thinking he had just chased something down and sunk his teeth in their neck, drawing blood and feeling the pulse fade away against his tongue...

"Hmmph." Hermann side-eyed him before moving his attention to his laptop.

 _Sorry._ Newt closed his eyes and breathed deeply.

And froze.

Newt's green gold eyes slowly opened as he breathed through his nose again.

There.

That was beautiful.

Something sweet. And tart. And FRESH. Newt couldn't remember the last time he smelled fresh fruit. Come to think of it, he can't even remember the last time he ATE any. Everything was canned now, sitting in sugar water. Something he avoided before he changed and never bothered with afterward. He could feel his tongue relax and spread out in his mouth, forcing his jaw open as it snaked out toward the remaining container on the tray. Newt's mouth salivated as he whiffed faint odors of caramel and an even stronger scent of... strawberries. He could TASTE them as he hovered over the container.

Hermann batted lightly at Newt's tongue, shattering his moment. "Honestly, you can simply ask."

Hermann's look of disapproval was soft, a mockery of what the expression would look like if he was truly upset. He took the top off of the container and handed it to Newt. "Enjoy as you will. Having some leftover would be nice, but I'm not certain I'd get the chance now, would I?"

Newt gave a low trill and speared four of the strawberries with his claws, depositing them on the tray. _Like I don't do anything for you._ He turned and stalked back to his side of the lab, sliding behind his desk and the large kaiju specimen containers, disappearing from sight.

There was a feeling of... EYE ROLLING in Newt's head as he curled himself up against the wall, out of sight from anywhere else in the lab. He growled softly in annoyance. _I'm enjoying these. I can't do that if you see me eating them like some chameleon or a dog._

How Hermann put a SIGH in to his head was beyond Newt's comprehension. But he did. He heard the soft thudding of Hermann's cane as he hobbled over to where Newt had sequestered himself. "I did not get those for us to eat separately. I'd much rather be here in case they have an adverse effect."

Newt glared at the man, swiftly shifting to worry as Hermann slowly and carefully slid himself down the wall to sit next to him. "Box." Hermann held out his hand.

The strawberries were thrust back at Hermann, followed by a mental pout. _Open._ Hermann thought quietly. He wanted to be sure Newt was paying attention.

_You're going to FEED me? Are you serious-_

_How else am I supposed to show that I don't care in the slightest how you look when you eat?_ Hermann looked to the side in embarrassment. _And… it is… quite interesting to feel how you smell and taste. I can only do that when we're closer together._

Newt stared at Hermann for a moment before his jaw split slightly, a version of smile, and his shoulders shook with silent laughter. _I guess if we're BOTH feeling this ridiculous about it._

Hermann rolled his eyes and popped one of the strawberries in his own mouth, chewing gently, immediately drawing Newt's attention. Newt gave a low clicking purr in anticipation, watching Hermann's long fingers pick up a second berry, bright red, smaller than what you used to be able to find at a grocery store, but Newt remembered that the smaller ones were always better. His bright blue tongue drifted out and delicately wrapped around the strawberry. The moment contact was made, Newt felt like his world exploded. He knew what strawberries tasted like, but he didn't KNOW.

Every small bump on the sides, every small seed could be felt as he pulled the berry in to his mouth. He could already taste the inner sweetness, but the moment his mouth closed, Newt constricted his tongue, squishing the strawberry, spreading the juice around. He hummed and closed all six of his eyes. Nothing had tasted this good. Ever. Especially not since his body had changed. The mix of sweet and tart and bitter was more pronounced than anything that he'd eaten before. How had he eaten the goddamn fish when there was something like this out there?

The berry juice slid down his throat and Newt swallowed greedily. He opened his eyes and was about to open his mouth for more, but was stopped short.

Hermann sat next to Newt still, a hand with a second strawberry poised in the air, shaking. The man's face was flushed, his eyes glazed over slightly and his mouth open.

Leaning forward, Newt grabbed the second berry with his tongue and performed the same action as before, this time keeping his eyes open and riveted on his lab partner. As Newt slowed down, carefully squishing the berry in segments with his tongue inside his mouth, he watched as Hermann rocked ever so slightly, hands shaking, and when Newt spread his tongue to feel as much of the inside of his mouth as he could (making his own toes curl), he saw Hermann's mouth make a silent "oh" before the man slumped against the wall, breathing heavily. Newt swallowed and Hermann visibly relaxed, trying to hide that he was a step away from moaning out loud.

Newt nuzzled against Hermann's neck, grabbing the container of strawberries and setting them aside. _We should save those for later. Make 'em last._

"Y-yes." Hermann managed breathlessly.

_We could try peaches next time._

Hermann's eyes grew wide. "N-next time."

Newt noticed the difference between a declaration and a question. He curled up on Hermann's side, putting his head in the man's lap. He was going to take a moment. He could hear if anyone came in to the lab, and they were safely out of sight, so… yes. A moment was acceptable.


End file.
